Daffodils sproughting,Everyones shouting,"Daffodil day!".Fundraising for Cancer Society,Giving hope all over the world.So spare a dollar or twoIt will bring us one step closer to the cure.And end all the death.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Doubling and halving, tripling and thirding and even more. I think that this strategy is quick, simple and easy! It is a great way to solve complicated multiplication. The best part is that it is a great strategy to use in the future. I like the way you double one number, and halve the other in order to get a solution. However, you can get frustrated when the numbers get bigger. Overall this strategy is and awesome way to solve problems.GO MATHS!

Doubling and Halving etc, is a useful mental strategy if you are horrible at keeping numbers in your buzzing brain. If you don't like Einstien formulas to find out such multiplication problems such as 66x6, then this is for you! All you do is divide one by 6 and times the other by 6 etc. and wolah! It instantly becomes 11x 36 or 396 x 1! Splendid! You don't have to scribble on ten thousand pieces of paper to work it out.It can be a pain sometimes espically if it goes off into 3 digits but I rate this method 80 out of100!

I like this strategy because it gets your brain pumping. It is easy to do really hard questions and it gets stuck in your brain. I like the way you can double and halve numbers to make the equation easier. And, you can also triple and third as well. This strategy makes it much easier.

Doubling, halving, tripling and thirding and more is an understandable strategy. I would recommend this nice and easy strategy to other people. Its not complicated and once you get the hang of it you'll say, "Boy that was soo much fun!" Sometimes it can get a bit hard, when you go up to higher numbers, and you don't know what to triple or third. When you double and halve, the numbers get easier and even, and it's easier to figure out the solution!J T

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

We have to cut down less trees! We're destroying animals homes, we might even be killing innocent animals just for fire wood! Each year, between 60,000 and 200,000 square kilometres of tropical rainforests are chopped down!So I demand we chop down less trees not just for the animals but for our Earth!

We are humans and we need oxygen to live , what do trees make! That's right, oxygen, do you really want to die young? Cutting down a tree and not replacing it with a new one gets rid of our carbon dioxide removal system and the carbon dioxide is left in the air, peeewwww! Just walk into any big city and the smell is awful, you can smell the carbon dioxide in the air, you don't want the world to stink do you? I know I don't. Now picture a world with no trees, every where stinks, And guess how many trees are being cut down a year? if you guessed 25,000,000 you're completely right!

If you cut down too many trees then most of the animals will not have anywhere to live or any trees to get oxygen like we need. If you cut down trees then you have less oxygen producers, think about that the next time you cut down a tree. The animals need their habitat to survive, and many, many animals depend on the forest. The destruction of the forest kills them, causing the species to become extinct. If the animals have no homes they're going to look for a new one and while their looking for a new home they are being hit by cars! Not a pretty sight now is it? The animals take trees as their place to stay or where they survive daily so imagine this, you're sitting on the couch watching TV minding your own business when suddenly you're falling out of a tree and you hit the ground with a thud! Oh no you'll miss the end of the movie!

Never mind. By chopping down trees we're polluting and it's pretty simple to figure out what I'm talking about. We're ruining Earth. For example you take out a tree stump then you can cause a mud slide. Yeah it's that easy. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, so when it's cut down, it doesn't pollute at least not right away. As the tree decays , it releases the carbon dioxide it has stored back into the atmosphere causing pollution. With the destruction and burning of the rainforests more and more carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere. Trees play an important role in producing oxygen from carbon dioxide.

My point is, while you think your'e helping people by cutting down trees and giving them warmth, remember it's still destroying animals homes, polluting, and all those other things. But there is always a limit.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

New Zealand has done it! They have won the world cup! No, it's not the All Blacks or the Black Caps and if you're thinking All Whites, it's not. It's the Kiwi League team! Ever heard of them? Well then listen in. In the greatest game of all, there are quite a lot of teams, 16 in fact. That is a lot of people involved. I, C.S like the whole concept of the game, it's fast, physical and skillful.

I say rugby league should be brought into schools and you should play what you want to play so you have fun. Kids can be educated by skill and not by being around bad crowds. This is an example of Rabbitohs star Fetuli Talanoa, he used to stay out late, graffiti on things, drinking alcohol and even stealing cars! Now he is a well behaved middle aged man in love with the sport. Rugby league is played in remote places like Russia, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Germany, America and all the islands. It is in far more places that most of us would be aware of. Rugby is sooooo slooowww...... it starts and stops the whooooole game. Unlike rugby league it hardly stops.

I LOVE THIS GAME! THERE IS A PARTY IN THE HOUSE! Have you heard that song? I think you have. Do you know that in rugby union they're still in a scrum while league has already finished the set. In the league the defence is stronger, trys are more skillful and a whole lot faster, like edge of your seat in golden point, like sharks vs. cowboys. No. 6 won the game for the sharks! 'Cowboys kicker missed from in front and could have won it for the cowboys.' State of origin, mate vs. mate, that's what they call it. They have massive scraps, people get unconscious and get headbutts and rip jerseys and most of them are in the same team the following week if they're not injured. You should watch a game of it man, it's physical.

Sunnybill who? Israle who? Brad who? When somebody like Sunnybill Williams is in a bad mood and walks out on a contract with the Bulldogs, he has to wait till the contract is over to come back to league. But no one wants him in their team. Yeah he's fast, yeah he's strong. OK, he's good at playing league but he made a fool of himself. Yep. Israle Folou TM, he was a great player but hey, the game did not stop because of him. BradThorn was told 3 or 4 years ago, he was part of the Brisbane Broncos. So he went over to rugby and is now still the best All Blacks Fords.

1907 to 2010 so forth and is still going strong. This is nearing the end of my speech. I hope you have enjoyed my speech and I hope you were listening because you will see my name in the news. That's right! My name, C.S, and no, not on NZ's most wanted!GO THE KIWIS! I'm in the team.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Hi! I would like to talk you about dirt bikes. Last year mum and dad bought me and my brother a dirt bike. Dad taught us how to ride them but we can't ride them round the streets like our push bike because that is illegal. So we have to go to the dirt biking tracks. There are a few but they are far away, 2 hours drive in the car each way. So my argument is, why do Dirt Bike Tracks have to be so far away?

Travelling time. We spend about 2 hours in the car going there and back. You have to have a full day spare to go dirt biking because of the travelling time needed to get there. Now that it is winter and my brother plays soccer on a Saturday morning, we can't go dirt biking on Saturdays because the afternoons isn't enough time. If your car breaks down you're miles away from anywhere and usually there is no cellphone coverage.

This could also be quite dangerous if someone was hurt. Sometimes for example if it is a long weekend, the traffic is really heavy with other people going on holiday so it takes even longer to get there. Sometimes people get car sick on long trips. You can't play your PSP or Nintendo DS because after a while you feel sick. If someone is feeling sick because of the windy roads, you have to go on, you have to stop and this makes you journey longer. If you get car sick when you finally get there, you don't feel like dirt biking because your head is all fuzzy and it could be dangerous to dirt bike with a fuzzy head.

What about our carbon footprint? My bike uses about 3 to 4 dollars worth of petrol. When we go out for the day but mum and dad spend about 30 dollars on petrol in the car just to get there. The dirt bike tracks are usually on farms and most of the time you need to have a 4 wheel drive vehicle to get round the farm, so if you buy one you end up driving a 4 wheel drive round town the rest of the week when a more economical car would do.

I would like to see the council build some dirt bike tracks around the city. I think that this would make it easier for more people to get into the sport.

How many of you like smiggle? Heaps! That's why I'm here to talk to you about Smiggle magically popping up everywhere in the middle of a recession. A recession is when the world slows down and no one has much money, but one company is progressing really,really well and charging what they like. Have any of you thought about how this could happen? Well listen and find out.

Pink, green, blue, black and purple bright colours attract young people and no matter how far away you are from a Smiggle store you will always find one to buy things from. Pencil cases, drink bottles, rubbers, pens and ring binders practically anything you can think of. What will they have next? Number plates? I wouldn't be surprised.

And the cost is blinding! $20 for a pink pencil case with the smiggle logo on it when you can go to the Warehouse Stationery and get the same thing for 5 dollars, yet plenty of us are doing it. You may not know this, but there are thieves, smiggle thieves, waiting to rip into your pencil case and steal all your precious things.

Smiggle brag, that an 'explore,poke,play and a visit' to their store is just like a hug from your best friend! They don't make it fun to shop in their stores. Smiggle is aiming to be the worlds biggest selling stationary store. In 2008 they hit N.Z and after only 2 years they have almost hit their goal.

No question Smiggle is not an awesome brand, but their secret to success is the way they market themselves with there emphasis on bright fun products.

In conclusion Smiggle is smart enough to get people to buy expensive products during a recession through there original bright coloured ideas and extensive marketing.AP

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Nooooooooooooo! Vegetables again?! Who here agrees with me that vegetables are yuck? Disgusting! Who here thinks that somehow scientists should make vegetables tasty even though I think that's impossible to make that horror on a plate turn into a dream on a plate, but they should atleast try for all of those kids who don't want to throw up after eating vegetables.

Imagine your dinner tasting like party mix, take beans as an example. They could be the next cut up liquorice and it won't make our head explode, it would be like magic. Carrots and peas could be an example to. Carrots could be the next crunchie bar or something and peas they can be like tictacs but mint flavoured.

You wouldn't get yelled at for not eating your dinner and it would save the lecture that your parents are planning if you don't eat it. Have you ever had your mum or dad staring at you shouting "eat that cauliflower! Or, getting a great big lecture going a bit like this " I cooked this dinner for you, at least give me some respect, blah, blah, blah!" I have, but that wouldn't happen if that cauliflower tasted like dairy milk chocolate.

Plus, kids might love their dinners so much they would want to know how to cook it and then cook it for the family. Imagine how happy parents would be if kids actually wanted to help in the kitchen. There would be more interesting cook books and parents would be happy again if their kids were reading more. Plus it would save money and parents love that too.

You're probably wondering how the heck do you save money if vegetables are flavoured like lollies? Well I'll tell you now. Kids will eat everything so nothing would be thrown away and you would no longer have to spend money on buying lollies and chocolate. Have you thought about the rubbish men, when we waste our vegetables they have more and more work to do.

So in conclusion, I think I've told you some really good reasons why I think scientists should spend time and money on making vegetables taste better. Kids would be happier because they would enjoy their dinners, parents would be happy because they won't have to yell at their children so much and families would be happy. So all this could happen if vegetables tasted like chocolate and lollies. But hang on, I just thought of something. What if you don't like lollies and chocolate?

Dogs have existed in our families for centuries and have been considered mans best friend. They have travelled with their masters on canoes and occasionally used as hunting partners, guards and companions. Others were raised for food as red meat was extremely scarce. Their cloaks were highly valued for human warmth.

Most animals were descended from the gods but dogs were technically created by Maui.

One day Maui went fishing with his brother in law, Irawaru. Despite taking his sacred hook carved from his nans jawbone, he got no fish. Irawaru caught a canoe full of Tamure and Hapuka fish. Maui was steaming like a volcano. Secretly he believed that Irawaru was going to cast a petrifying spell on him. As he pulled his canoe to shore, Maui planned his whipping revenge. He body slammed his brother in law down into an outrigger. Maui pinned all over Irawarus aching back until he flexed out. Irawaru had shrunk and he grew a long bushy tail and he became extermely hairy. Maui clutched Irawarus face and pulled it out, Maui's sister won't be too happy. Although what happened Maui biologically created the first Maori dog.

One particularly dog loving ancestor was Paoa. He was the captain of Horouta, He had a beloved dog called Whakao. One day, as thay were tramping in the bush, Paoa's dog got lost in the forest and by moonlight it had not been found. Whakao the dog was heard whining in the bush. The following morning, Paoa found his loveable dog. From that day he gave birth newly named forest- Pipiwhakao which plainly means whimpering Whakao. Just to the south of Te- Muriwai, is a cliff face called Te Kuri-a- Paoa.- The dog of Paoa. This legend has been brought to us by our ancestors.

P.S The illustration of the dog will look like a pig if it was plumper.

This myth is called Rona and the moon. ( Rona and the Te marama.) This book is about a lady called Rona and a husband that spoils her. Rona was always demanding of her husband for anything she wished. One day Rona demanded a big fish.While her husband was fishing in his waka (canoe) she fell asleep. She woke up and lifted her gourd (water bottle) but it was empty. She tried calling her husband but he was too far away. She finally decided to get water for herself. It was night time and she couldn't see. Suddenly she tripped up and twisted her ankle on a tree root."You old cooked head," she yelled at the moon. The moon got very angry with Rona and so he grabbed Rona and pulled her towards him. Rona tried to grab the Ngaio tree, but the moon pulled the tree with her. When her husband returned with the fish, he saw that Rona and the ngaio tree were stuck on the moon. That is why, when there is a full moon, you can see Rona holding onto the Ngaio tree.

This myth and legend would be recommended to children from the ages of 9-12.We rate this legend 6 out of 10 because we felt it needed to be more enticing. We liked the creative plot line.

Monday, August 9, 2010

You know ordinarily I will find it hard to stand up in front of a crowd and speak. I have to admit it is a bit scary but I can do it and the reason I can do it is because I look out on a crowd of faces and amongst those faces I see friends.

Firstly, friends are great company and heaps of fun. You never feel lonely when you have friends and also never bored. I actually heard that friends are like apples - they keep you healthy and fit. My friends and I are always laughing, running around, jumping and playing on the playground. We all have a special handshake and a few quirks.

Secondly, you and your friends should support each other. Whether it's a running race, trying something new or a weird event that happened at home. Trust is also very important. You should be able to trust your friend with almost anything. Secrets, dreams etc. All of my friends and I support each other. If one of my friends is in tears I will stay with them and support them until they feel better.

Lastly, friends accept us for who we are, not by the look of our faces. If we had a lazy eye or a difficulty real friends wouldn't mind. I have a lot of friends with different religions, cultures, skin colours etc but I don't mind. I don't judge books by their covers so why judge people? Friends give us the confidence to be happy with ourselves no matter what we look like, sound like or even if a boy and girl are best friends it doesn't matter.

So in conclusion, I thank all my friends for supporting me, trusting me, being great company and heaps of fun. You guys are the reason I come to school everyday. To see the smiles on your faces cheers me up. So once again, thank you.

Money should grow on trees! I mean it would be very useful. Hands up if you want to be as poor as an abandoned dog, exactly! Just imagine walking into your back garden which is filled with money, wouldn't that be nice, but whats even nicer is that you get to rip it all off and spend it all!

First of all... I could buy an aeroplane, stuff it with toys and travel around the world! I could live in a palace with servants and get to order the best meals yet! I could go to Hollywood and maybe, just maybe become best friends with Miley Cyrus!

Second of all... I won't have to do any more chores for me to earn money, which means no more dishes. I don't have to tidy my room or make my bed. That way I have more time to read, play games, compete in sport, watch TV, and do art. I'd probably get to play on my laptop, see friends and finally I'd get to climb trees.

Thirdly, people will become wealthy. They will have the money to buy themselves food, water and shelter. This will mean there will be an end to poverty and starvation. There will be no more of those horrible ads on TV shopwing children whose dying every 90 seconds because of starvation.

I personally think money should grow on trees and I'm positive that you will all agree with me, for all of these specific reasons. I';m sure adults won't mind either. (in order to pay bills.)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Take mathletics for example. It is great for kids and it is played on a computer. You can learn division, multiplication, pluses and takeaways. You can practise lots until you're really good, then you can do all of your maths work at school.

Buzz is a fun game using a special control. You get to hit down on a button if you get the answer right and you get to stay in the contest. The person who gets the most right answers stays in and is the winner. This game helps you learn and gives you answers to things that the Teacher might ask you.

If you're having trouble with your spelling you can go to a spelling game and try the basic level. Start with level one and work up to 20, the spelling test goes up and then you will improve.

There are lots of maths games that you can play on the computer and you can play on mathletics. It is a good game to play for kids because there are numbers and times tables.

In conclusion I believe that electronic games are good for children.G.T.

Kids should be allowed to play educational games on playstations and computers.There are quizzes, spelling and maths games as well helping with your education.

Quiz Buzz gives you education about the world. It gives you information about many countries. You get asked loads of questions. If you get the answer wrong it will tell you the answer anyway and you still get to learn.

Computers help you with your spelling, like hang man and word search. You can use them in your spelling games, you can use them with your friends.

Maths games can help you with you subtraction and addition and with your tables. It is fun at Botany Downs School. We play mathletics on line, it's a lot of fun and we get to learn at the same time.

A computer is a machine that tells us about the world such as mind games, knowledge games and quiz games. I've learnt lots of things about the jungle and I have learnt a lot of things about animals. Survival games on the playstation have exploring games, you get to learn how to survive in the jungle and deserted places.Different websites have learning games. When we were learning about Space I played Star Wars. You get to imagine that you are in space.

It is a good thing not going outside because you will be safe inside and not be bullied, you can play games inside nicely. You wont get into trouble with naughty friends. Some friends get you into trouble so you can't trust them.

So, I think playing games on the computer and playstation is good for you and.....AWESOME!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Waka Taua was fascinating. It had lots of interesting facts. It was made out of different materials. Tree branches for the warriors to sit on and kauri tree carved into the actualWaka. On the very front of the Waka Taua is the God of War, he protects the warriors. His mother protects the ancestors and his brother protects the bottom of the Waka, there were a lot of holes along the bottom so I don't think he was doing a very good job.

The boys had a very special job. They had to scoop the water out of the Waka so that it wouldn't sink while they were at war with other tribes.

We were told all about the Tuwiri( a maori tool), and we were told how to use it. Then we all had a go and our parent helpers picked one of us to have a competition and I was picked. The Tuwiri was how they carved the ancestors and the carvings out of wood. There is a special knack to doing it which is why I won. I won because my arms were down and relaxed and my eyes were focused on the Tuwiri. And, I was very, very still.L.H.

Wow! The model Pa at the museum is amazing. It shows you some men fishing because they can't go to the fish and chip shop like we can. They had to catch their dinners and once they caught their fish they would hang their fish on fish racks. There were also some men in the forest chopping down trees to make a waka. There also was some tunnels at the back so if any other tribes came and attacked there would be some way to get out and away. Did you know that if a chief is killed the tribe that killed the chief would destroy the chief's Pa and steal food from the Pa, and after that they would put a curse on the Pa. No one would be allowed to go on that Pa. We could see some men in the model, they were hunting for food in the forest. They would follow a trail into the forest. There were some people gardening for food, they had to grow their own.D.O.

The carvings on the ancestors which are called Pou Pou, are quite peculiar and unique. They cover most of the Whare nui, the meeting house. There are a range of ways to tell apart a female and a male ancestor. The carvings on the males are much more dramatic and not as consistent as the other gender. The most obvious way to tell them apart is that the male sticks out its tongue horrifyingly. The most fascinating thing about the Pou Pou are its eyes. They are made from glistening paua shells. The ancestors on the Waka taua- the war canoe, their paua shells have a different effect. The shell reflects the glorious moonlight into the peaceful, swishing water, to make light and guide them through the night. The pataka is a place for storing food and clothes. They keep food, seafood and clothes seperate in different corners. The ancestors paua shells scare other tribes with a menacing glare. You better not mess with them you mischeious little kid!!!